Species-specific Leaf Volatile Compounds of Obligate <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macaranga</Emphasis> Myrmecophytes and Host-specific Aggressiveness of Symbiotic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crematogaster</Emphasis> Ants |
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Authors: | Yoko Inui Takao Itioka |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Education, Osaka Kyoiku University, 4-698-1 Asahigaoka, Kashiwara Osaka, 582-8582, Japan;(2) Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Nihonmatsu, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan |
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Abstract: | Macaranga myrmecophytes harbor species-specific Crematogaster ants that defend host trees from herbivores. We examined ant aggressive behaviors when artificially damaged leaf pieces from
another tree were offered to four sympatric species of obligate Macaranga myrmecophytes. The ants showed aggressive behavior in response to leaf pieces regardless of the leaf species; however, aggressiveness
was higher when conspecific leaf pieces were offered than when nonhost species were offered. Thus, ants can recognize leaf
damage and distinguish among damaged leaf species. Chemical analyses of volatile compounds emitted from damaged leaves that
may induce ant defense showed that the composition of the minor compounds differed among the four Macaranga species, although there were many compounds in common. |
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Keywords: | Myrmecophyte Ant defense Aggressive behavior Species specificity Leaf volatiles |
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